Leaf cutter for cigar machines



July 30, 1940. PETERSON 2,209,349

LEAF CUTTER FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed Nov. 21, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.1.

INVENTOR 27 y a ATTORNEY July30, 1940- P. PETERSON 2.209.349

V LEAF CUTTER FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed Nov. 21, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.7;

145 INVENTOR N ATTORNEY Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES LEAF C'UTTER FOR CIGAR MACHINES Pontus Peterson, Hempstead, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New York Application November 21, 1936, Serial No. 111,973

13 Claims. (01. 131-101) This invention relates to cutting mechanisms for cigar machines, and also to safety devices associated therewith.

In existing machines it is usually customary for an operator to spread a leaf from which binders or wrappers are to be out upon a cutting bed having a die of proper size and shape which the leaf overlies. A cutting mechanism having one or more rotatable rollers is then passed over the leaf on the die and the required section is cut from the leaf. It has been found when these machines are operated at high speed that there is difficulty in preventing the leaf section from being torn or otherwise damaged during the cutting operation, due chiefly to the fact that the cutting rollers as they move into contact with a leaf are stationary and are not set into rotation until they have progressed some distance along the leaf. Consequently, the stationary rollers upon moving against the leading end of a leaf tend to curl it up or push back the edge.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide means for more efiicient cutting by causing the rollers to be set into rotation before they move into cutting relationship with a leaf.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a cutting mechanism with means for imparting rotation to the rollers as they approach the cutting bed.

It is an added object to provide means for rotating the roller cutting mechanism, and also means adjacent the cutting die which may or may not be a part thereof which will effectively prevent the cutting rollers from jumping as they contact the leading end of the leaf cutting die.

It is an additional object to provide an extension at one end of the leaf cutting die of such a nature that it may cause rotation, or impart additional rotation and act as a guide for the roller cutting mechanism of a cigar machine.

Since there is atime interval between the operation of the rollers for cutting, and their return, there is danger of injury to an operators hands if, for any reason, they are in the path of the rollers. Therefore, it is a further objectof thisinvention to provide means for protecting and safeguarding an operators hands during the entire operation of the cutting mechanism.

It is a further object to provide a safety member movable with the cutting mechanism into and out of position for shielding the cutting die on movement of cutting mechanism.

To the accomplishment of these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view one embodiment of the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a plan viewof a cooperating driving device for the cutting rollers constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same structure with a tilted position indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the relationship of the roller cutter with regard to the cooperating driving device and an elongated tail of the die;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the cutting bed broken away to show an alternate arrangement of the elongated tail of the die with felt pads clamped thereto; 7

Fig. 6 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 7 is a sectional view of 'a hollow roller showing an eccentric'mounting at one side and Self-aligning bearings; I

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a safety belt attachment for the roller cutter to cover the die during its travel to and from cutting;

Fig. 9 is a side view of parts shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a plan view of a similar construction with the safety belt arranged vertically; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of the cutting bed showing the arrangement of the elongated extension of the die for starting rotation of both cutting rollers as they are guided thereon.

In carrying the invention intoeifect there is provided a cutting bed, a cutting arm arranged to move over the cutting bed with rollers'to out a wrapper from a wrapper leaf held in place by suction, a cooperating roller driving device upon which the rollers normally rest and in traveling tocutting position are given their initial rotation prior to contact with an elongated, inclined tail leading to a cutting die, one or more hollow rollers with self-aligning bearings mounted in the cutting arm onstraight and eccentric shafts and a safety belt attached to the pivoted cutting arm and held taut over a pulley bya weight to cover the die in a cutting operation.

In a cigar machine a wrapper leaf is spreadby an operator on a cutting bed where the leaf is held by suction. A cutting bed It) includes a cutting die ll (Fig. 1) over which a movable cutting arm (indicated in dot and dash lines) carryinga pair of rollers I3 is caused to move travel of the cutting arm 12 makes it desirable for the rollers I3 to be brought into rotation before they reach the leaf cutting die II to prevent tearing or damaging the leaf. A cooperating roller driving device indicated generally at l 4, includes a felt pad l5, provided with securing means such as grooves l 5 at the sides, for clamps ll and I8 which are screwed to blocks 19. The blocks l9 are loose on a shaft 20 and are located between collars 2| and supporting members 22 and 23 clamped thereon. A space is provided between the supporting members 22 and 23 and the felt pad to permit the latter to adjust itself under the difference of pressure due to eccentric mounting of the rollers l3. A rod 24 adjustably held by the clamp 23 is pivoted at 25 to a base 26 secured by a bolt 2'! to a frame member 28;

At one end of the pad l5 the clamp [1 is bent up to give additional support and prevent movement of the pad in the grooves it when the other end is struck by the rollers E3 on their return from cutting. The end of the pad I5 projects suificiently to act as a cushion for this impact of the rollers. The roller driving device I4 is capable of being tilted and is provided with a retracting spring 29, anchored to a pin 30 on the supporting member 23 and to a pin 3! on the base 25. When in the operation of the machine the cutting arm I2 is caused to move in the direction of the die H for cutting, the rollers l3 normally in contact with the felt pad 15, are rotated and after traveling beyond the surface of the pad they are still in rotation as they reach the die I l to effectively cut the wrapper. If the operators hand should be in the path of the returning cutting arm I2 it would be pushed to the felt pad H) which would yield under the pressure and tilt so that the hand could be withdrawn and escape injury.

Straight hollow rollers l3 are provided with self-aligning bearings 32 and 33 fitted thereto, together with retaining washers 34, mounted for rotation on shafts 35 and 36, respectively, the threaded ends of which are supported in the frame of the cutting arm l2 and held by nuts 31.

The shaft 36, eccentric at its bearing 33, gives the straight roller i3 an action similar to that produced by a tapered roller with the ease of operation provided by self-aligning bearings. In the embodiment shown, two rollers being mounted in the cutting arm l2, the eccentric shaft arrangement is reversed for the other roller and the slight angle of tilt of each roller will be in the opposite direction (Fig. 8) to maintain the proper cutting relation with the die ll. It will be apparent that these rollers l3 will be easily started rotating in passing over the felt pad l5 An elongated guide extension member 38, fittedto the die II at 39 is supported in the cutting bed I3 and projects through to a proper level for guiding the rollers l3 along its inclined surface to the die. The rollers will be brought (Fig. 4) smoothly, under tension, to cut from the beginning of their travel across the die ll, avoiding any possibility of striking the die and jumping beyond the starting point when the cutter arm I2 is operated at high speed. Moreover the elongated guide extension 38 may be used as shown in Fig. 11 to start the rotation of both cutting rollers in succession. Thus the felt pad l5 and its support may be dispensed with, as the length of the extension 38 is suificient to start the rollers spinning before they reach the cutting edge of the die.

An alternate arrangement of the elongated guide extension member 38 is shown in Figs. 5 and6 to provide additional friction. Twopieces of felt 40 are secured to the sides of the tail 38 by a bolt 4!, through a plate 42 and a bracket 43, bolted to the cutting bed If] at 44.

In order to protect the operator from risking injury to the hands from the cutting arm l2, operated at high speed, a safety belt 45 (Figs. 8 and 9) has been provided with a suitable fixture 4B,"secured thereto, for attachment to a hook 41, mounted on the cutting arm. The belt 45 is drawn over a pulley 48, pivotally mounted at 49 on a bracket 50, bolted to the machine frame 5| at 52 and 53, and is held taut by a weight 54 secured to its end. An opening 55, in the frame 5| is provided for the weight 54. When the cutting arm l2 passes over the cutting die I I it pulls the belt 45 over the die covering it from direct view until it is returned. The bracket 53 is shaped to permit the overlapping of the belt 45 in the normal position of the cutting arm 12 (indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 8). The belt 45 might be employed in a vertical position illustrated in Fig. 10 instead of the horizontal one shown, with some changes inthe pulley arrangement. The barrier presented by the safety belt is thought to effectively discourage the operator from risking injury to the hands at the time the rollers are in operation for cutting.

It is thought from the foregoing, that the ar rangement and operation of the illustrated construction will be clearly understood but I reserve the right to effect such structural modifications and variations as may come fairly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What is claimed is: l

1. In a tobacco leaf cutting mechanism, the combination with a cutting die upon which leaves are laid, of a traveling cutting device moving to and fro over said die and having a hollow rotatable cutting roller cooperating with said die to cut sections from leaves laid thereon, and friction means having a coefficient of friction greater than said roller associated with said device for setting said roller into rotation as said device advances into cutting position relative to said die.

2. In a leaf cutting mechanism, the combination-with a leaf cutting die provided with an elongated roller guide extension at one end, of a plurality of rotatable cutting rollers, an oscillating member supporting said rollers for movement over said die whereby said rollers rotate and cut sections from leaves spread upon said die, means for shielding said die as said member moves thereover, and means located adjacent said die for setting said rollers into rotation as the member approaches said die on its cutting movement. 3. A tobacco leaf cutting mechanism comprising a movable member and a plurality of rotatable rollers carried by said member, a die having a cutting edge, a friction element located in the path of said member for contact with said rollers, said element having a coemcient of friction greater than said rollers and being so constructed and arranged that said rollers in contacting said element are guided onto the cutting edge of the die and set in rotation as they advance to cutting position. a

4. In a tobacco leaf cutting mechanism comprising a suction leaf cutting die, a movable roller cutting device having a rotatable leaf cutting roller cooperating with said die for cutting sections from leaves supported on said die, means located adjacent said die for starting the rotation of said roller as said device moves into cutting position, said means including a resiliently mounted support, a friction roller coacting surface fixed to said support and over which said roller moves, and means normally holding said support in roller engaging position.

5. In a tobacco leaf cutting mechanism, a leaf cutting die, a cutter roller coacting with said die to sever a leaf section from a leaf spreadthereon, and a cutter roller guide extension'fixed to and projecting from one end of said die and having a roller engaging portion formed of compressible material.

6. In a tobacco leaf cutting mechanism, a suction leaf cutting die provided with a shaped leaf cutting edge upon which leaves positioned upon said die are cut, a cutter roller coacting with the cutting edge of said die to sever a leaf section from a leaf spread thereon, and an elongated roller cutter guide extension located in front of and terminating adjacent one end of said die, said roller guide extension having a roller engaging portion and being resiliently supported to yield downwardly upon the presence of an obstruction thereon to the movement of the cutting roller thereover.

'7. In a tobacco leaf cutting mechanism, a suction leaf cutting die provided with a shaped leaf cutting edge upon which leaves to be out are laid, a cutter roller coacting with the cutting edge of said die to sever a leaf section from a leaf spread thereon, an elongated roller cutter guide extension located adjacent one end of said die, and a friction member secured to said extension.

8. A tobacco leaf sectioning unit comprising a suction leaf supporting and cutting die, a cutting device cooperating with said the to cut leaf sections from leaves supported thereon, means-for moving said device forward and backward across said die, and a tensioned safety belt affixed to said device and movable across said die to shield said die as said device is moved tothe limit of its forward movement.

9. A tobacco leaf sectioning unit comprising a suction leaf supporting and cutting die, a reciprocatory roller cutting device movable forward and backward across said die to cut leaf sections from leaves positioned thereon and a safety member synchronized for movement with said device to shield said die as said device moves forward, and means yieldingly mounting said member so that it recedes as the die is uncovered for leaf serving on the backward stroke of said device.

10. A tobacco leaf sectioning unit comprising a suction leaf supporting and cutting die, an oscillatory roller cutting device. movable forward and backward across said die to cut leaf sectionsfrom leaves positioned thereon, and a safety member pivotally connected to said device for movement therewith to shield said die from an operator as said device moves on its forward stroke, and means for yieldingly mounting said member so that it is pulled back as the device moves back over the die on its backward stroke to uncover the die for further leaf serving.

11. In a tobacco leaf cutting mechanism, the combination with a cutting die upon which leaves are laid, of a traveling cutting device having a rotatable cutting roller cooperating with said die to cut sections from leaves laid thereon, said die being provided with an elongated guide member adapted to guide said roller to the proper level for coaction with the die, and a member arranged to engage the cutting roller before it reaches said guide'member and set the roller into rotation.

12. The combination with an elongated cutting die for cutting cigar wrappers, provided with a roller guide extension of substantial length at one end thereof, providing a substantially continuous guide surface to the cutting edge of the die,said

extension being substantially centrally located with respect to the width of said die, of a plurality of freely rotatably mounted cylindrical cutting rollers having their axes of rotation and surfaces of rotation at inclinations to each other,

die for cutting cigar wrappers, provided with a roller guide extension of substantial length at one end thereof, providing a substantially continuous guide surface to, the cutting edge of the die,

said extension being substantially centrally located with respect to the width of said die, of a plurality of freely rotatably mounted cylindrical cutting rollers having their axes of rotationand surfaces of rotation at inclinations to each other, the axes of rotation being non-intersecting and the surfaces being adapted to have rolling contact with said extension whereby both rollers may be started in rotation insuccession by said extension, and said surfaces being of such inclination with respect to the upper edge of the extension and the opposite cutting edges of the die that when the rollers are released from engagement with the extension, each roller will instantly engage its respective cutting edge.

PONTUS PETERSON, 

